


30 Kisses

by JoeyChanSan



Category: Free!
Genre: 30 Kisses Challenge, Established Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, RinHaru Mook Countdown
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-02
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-07 09:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4257960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoeyChanSan/pseuds/JoeyChanSan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because sometimes a kiss is the best way to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Goodnight Kiss

If there was something Rin did a lot when they were together, it would be kissing Haru.

Every moment and occasion, whether it be cuddling on the couch or after winning a race, was good enough for Rin to cup Haru's face softly with his fingertips and press his lips to the raven's.

Of course, Haru liked all of Rin's kisses. But there was one in particular that Haru favored. And, contrary to what anyone would think, it wasn't when Rin cornered him in the pool and kissed the breath out of him, or when he sneaked into his nightly shower and brushed their lips together while the lukewarm water poured over them.

The kiss Haru liked the best was the one Rin gave him without fail every night after settling in bed beside him, before whispering a soft goodnight into Haru’s hair. It always made that warm, fuzzy feeling spread all over his limbs as he snuggled closer to the sleeping redhead beside him. It was also the cause of him falling asleep with a slight smile adorning his lips.

 

It was Rin’s first night in Japan after having spent a few months training in Australia, and they were almost ready for bed.

“I’m beat,” Rin sighed as he came out of the bathroom, flopping face down on the side of Haru’s bed he had claimed as his a long time ago. “Stop staring at me and get your ass here. I wanna sleep” He mumbled when Haru didn’t move from his spot leaning against the door frame. Rin didn’t have anything against Haru looking at him -in fact, he loved it when the raven’s whole attention was focused on him- but he really needed the sleep.

Haru huffed at having his staring interrupted, but was quick to slide in bed beside his partner, both of them moving to accommodate each other until Haru’s head was resting on Rin’s chest, his arm draped lazily around the redhead’s waist.

For a moment neither of them moved. But then two of Rin’s fingers hooked under Haru’s chin, gently lifting the raven’s face.

‘Ah, there it is.’ Haru thought to himself as he let his eyes slid shut.

The soft sound of rustling sheet broke the silence and Rin’s lips were covering Haru’s in the softest, sweetest of the kisses.

“Goodnight, Haru.” Rin whispered, already being more asleep than awake, his body completely relaxed against Haru’s.

“Goodnight, Rin.” Haru whispered back to Rin’s sleeping form, his lips curved up in the smallest of the smiles as he snuggled up to Rin and let sleep claim him too.

 

The other reason for this kiss being Haru’s favorite, was because it was followed by his second favorite. The good morning kiss.


	2. Good morning kiss

Rin was an early riser, so he usually was the first one to wake up, sometimes even before the alarm of his phone went off. But the combination of a 10 hour flight to Japan and jet lag was enough to make him sleep in, giving Haru the chance of staring at his boyfriend’s sleeping face for as long as he wanted.

So stare at Rin’s face Haru did.

Careful not to wake Rin up, Haru pulled back from the redhead’s loose embrace, rolled over on his side and rested his weight on his elbow.

If there was a word that came to his mind to describe the sight before him, it would be beautiful. Maybe gorgeous. But none of them did Rin any justice. To put it simply, no word would ever be enough for Haru to accurately describe Rin.

But then again Rin had never been one to fit the mold as he was supposed to, so Haru guessed it didn't really matter if he was unable to find a word that could describe the whole that was Rin.

It was mesmerizing to see Rin’s hair bathed in the pale sunlight of dawn as red tresses fanned over his pillow and face, those two strands that refused to be tamed raising and falling again over Rin's nose with every puff of breath that left the redhead's slightly parted lips.

If Haru tried really hard, despite his countenance being completely relaxed as if he didn't have a care in the world, he could see the beginning of the laugh lines forming in the corner of Rin's eyes and mouth. A few years from now they would be noticeable enough for everyone to see.

Then Haru felt a familiar itch on the tips of his fingers and just watching wasn't enough anymore.

Careful not to disturb his boyfriend’s sleep, Haru slid his knuckles down Rin’s jaw, having to stifle a laugh when Rin wrinkled his nose, probably finding the light touch ticklish. Now the adjective defining Rin in Haru’s mind was cute. It wasn’t enough either, but it would work for the time being.

The next objective of Haru’s wandering fingers were the strands of maroon hair hiding Rin’s features from him. He brushed them aside with gentle touches, the thicker strands framing Rin’s angular face pushed behind his ears, the thinner ones slicked back.

‘Much better,’ Haru thought, letting his fingers ghost over Rin’s cheek on their way to the corner of Rin’s plump, somewhat dry lips.

“Rin, wake up,” Haru muttered after pressing their foreheads together. “Rin,” He called again, louder this time, when Rin didn’t stir from his sleep.

“Nngh… shut up and lemme sleep,” Rin slurred, scooting closer to Haru, hiding his face in the crook of Haru’s neck. Or, well, trying to, since Haru was faster and before Rin could move, he had already slotted their lips together. “‘m tired.”

“Get up. It’s time for breakfast.”

“Don’t wanna,” Rin replied with a shit eating grin, obviously awake now even though he kept his eyes closed.

“Rin.”

“Gimme another kiss and maybe I’ll think about it.”

“Seriously?” Haru deadpanned, giving Rin this ‘I can’t believe you’ look. Not that Rin could see him, nor the fond smile setting on Haru’s lips a second later. How he had missed his boyfriend’s childish side.

When Rin’s answer came in the form of him rolling onto his back, Haru sighed. There was no winning this one, it seemed. But admitting defeat once in a while wasn’t so bad, or so Haru thought, as long as the prize for it was kissing Rin.

“Just one,” Haru warned after scooting closer to Rin and cupping his face with one hand.

“Liar.”

Haru huffed -Rin was right, he wasn’t about to kid himself- and leaned forward, grazing Rin’s lips softly at first, then applying some pressure in each brush.

“You got your kiss, now get up,” Haru breathed as he was pulling back, poking Rin’s side for good measure before sliding out of bed.

“Hey!” Rin whined as he curled, placing his hands protectively over his ribs as if he was expecting Haru coming back and poke him again. “What was that for?!”

“Payback for being a child,” He stopped at the door and turned around so he could look at Rin, the small smile still etched on his lips, refusing to go. “Now let’s go eat breakfast.”

 

He could definitely get used to being woken up like that, Rin decided a couple of minutes later still curled in bed, when Haru had already left the room and the smell of frying mackerel reached Rin’s nostrils.


	3. Welcome home kiss Pt.1

They always split chores. While one of them cleaned up the kitchen, the other cleaned the bathroom, while one cooked the other did laundry, and so on. And since Rin was already used to looking after himself, he didn’t mind doing one thing or another, already used to cleaning up after himself. He was only picky with one particular chore: grocery shopping.

There was a reason Rin always chose to do grocery shopping when the fridge started to empty out (“Rin, there’s no mackerel left.”) after days of only going outside to swim or meet with Makoto, Nagisa and Rei. The reason was, of course, he loved coming back home to Haru waiting for him, ready to give him a ‘welcome home kiss.’

Yes, not even growing up was enough to dull Rin’s romantic heart.

So that’s why when Haru said, with a pout, during breakfast that they had ran out of mackerel amongst other things, Rin was quick to offer to go buy some fish and everything else they needed to restock.

 

“I’ll be back soon, Haru,” Rin called from the bottom of the staircase, when he returned back downstairs after getting dressed.

“Don’t forget the mackerel,” Haru called back from the kitchen, where he was washing the dishes they had used that morning.

“Yes, yes,” Rin sighed as he checked his pockets, making sure he had his keys and wallet with him. As if he could forget about the fish Haru tried to incorporate into every single one of their meals. Well, he could _accidentally_ forget to buy it. But that would mean a pouty Haru who refused cuddles and kisses for a few hours. It was not worth it. 

“I left a list for you on the table.”

Rin arched an eyebrow -he didn’t think they were lacking _that_ many items to need a list- but went to retrieve it anyway. If Haru had taken the time to make one, maybe Rin hadn’t been as right as he thought about the state of their fridge.

“I’m off!”

Rin’s trip to the supermarket was a quick one, thanks to it being an early sunday morning and to Haru’s list. A little over half an hour and he was adjusting his cap to protect his eyes from the sun as he stepped outside the store, a couple of bags hanging from his hand.

The walk back home was quiet, the streets practically empty, with the exception of the couple of people he passed on what he assumed was a morning jog.

The first summer break he had spent in Iwatobi with Haru after his first year in college, Rin had found it weird for the streets empty when he went out for early runs. But, as the years passed by, Rin had come to cherish and feel grateful for it. Sydney and Tokyo were cities that never seemed to sleep. No matter what time it was, streets were always filled with people coming and going. Something everyone needed a break from that every once in awhile.

 

“Haru, I’m home!” Rin called, kicking the door closed with his heel before he put the bags on the floor and sat down to remove his shoes. That should give Haru enough time to get to the entrance to give him his kiss, right?

When he stood up again and Haru wasn’t there, Rin frowned. Haru was at home, his sneakers beside Rin’s confirmed it. So, why hasn’t he come out to greet him? He was pretty sure Haru knew the lame reason behind him always taking up the shopping trips.

A look into the living room as he passed by on his way to the kitchen revealed the raven’s absence, and the door leading to the small bathroom downstairs was open, so the place was ruled out.

The kitchen was also empty, the only thing out of place being the plates drying on the dish rack. He contemplated the idea of leaving the bags there, but ended up putting at least the fish and the meat he had bought in the fridge before retracing his steps.

It was when he had passed by the living room door to make his way towards the stairs, that he noticed the panel leading to the backyard was open.

'So that’s where you were, huh?' Rin thought to himself, stepping into the room, throwing his cap, wallet and keys on top of the table.

"When did you come back?" Haru asked, poking his head inside. Apparently the keys had made enough noise to make Rin's presence known.

"A few minutes ago," Rin said. 

"Didn't hear you come in," Haru stated as he closed the door and turned to face Rin.

"I noticed," Rin huffed and gently tugged at the hem of Haru's shirt, pulling him into a loose embrace. Being this close, Rin could smell the slight scent of the fabric softener. "Laundry?" 

Haru nodded and rested his forehead on Rin's shoulders. "I changed the sheets," he offered as an explanation.

"Hey," Rin broke the comfortable silence a few minutes later, poking Haru's side for good measure. He had just remembered the reason why he had been searching for Haru in the first place. "You owe me something."

The raven lifted his head, giving him a confused look, as if he didn't have any clue what Rin was speaking of. But a couple of seconds later, a spark of realization shone in his blue eyes, his confusion turning into a loving smile.

Haru cupped Rin's face with both hands and leaned in, stopping at the last moment, when Rin's eyes were already closed.

"Haru?" Rin called, cracking an eye open when his kiss didn't come.

"Did you get the mackerel?" Haru asked, all serious about it.

"Seriously?!" 

Haru nodded.

"God fucking dammit, Haru," Rin cursed, fighting the urge to massage his temples. "Yes, I bought your damn fish. Now give me my kiss."

Haru had the gall to snicker at him before he leaned in again, this time sealing Rin's lips with his own in a slow, tender kiss.

"Welcome home, Rin."


	4. Departure Kiss

Break was over and Rin had to go back to Australia yet again. 

The sun shone bright through the drawn curtains of Haru's bedroom, as if it was mocking them as they packed the last of Rin's stuff in silence. It was always like that when the moment of separation came again, neither of them being in the mood to talk or tease each other.

"I'm gonna miss this," Rin sighed after rolling his suitcase up to the front door, taking one last look at Haru's cozy home as he put on his shoes. Needless to say, he wasn't talking just about the house. 

"Yeah, me too," Haru echoed the sentiment, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Ready?"

"Yeah..." Rin nodded, taking a hold of his suitcase handle with one hand as he opened the door with the other. He wasn't ready, but there was nothing else he could do. Planes didn't wait.

 

They had made it to the airport with a couple of hours to spare, despite Rin's suitcase being small and light enough to be considered hand baggage and thus not having to go through the luggage check in and the customs procedures. 

"Are you hungry?" Rin asked, looking around in search of a place that had somewhat decent food when Haru shrugged weakly at him. Not that any of it could be considered something more than edible. Even less after almost two weeks of having Haru's cooking for every meal. But given the alternative was sitting on those uncomfortable plastic chairs until they announced his flight, Rin thought mediocre food was a better option.

In the end, neither of them ordered anything to eat and just settled for drinks; water for Haru, a diet soda for Rin, sipping them in silence.

Silence that wasn’t as it usually was between them; it wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t warm. This silence was tense, almost oppressive. And, ironically, it spoke volumes of the words both of them were holding back.

The ‘I’ll miss you.’ 

The ‘don’t go.’

Both knew letting those words out would do nothing else but drag them down and get in the way of their goals. And what they needed was to move forward and grow stronger. They hadn’t made it this far to give up at the very end.

"So..." Rin started just for the sake of breaking the silence that was driving him nuts. He probably would've ended up spitting some of the usual bullshit that went along the lines of 'Haru you better train your ass off so you don't lose to me _that_ bad,’ had the female voice not interrupted him announcing his flight arrival through the public address system..

_“Calling for the passengers travelling to Australia, flight number AN139, please proceed to Gate number 93.”_

“Guess it’s time, huh?” Rin said looking up with resignation at the speaker over their heads.

“Hm…” Haru nodded, discarding his empty water bottle along with Rin’s can on their way out the joint.

 

“I’ll see you in a few months, Haru,” Rin said, stopping a few meters away from the security check, boarding pass already in hand.

“Rin, I…” Haru whispered, his eyebrows scrunching up.

“I know,” Rin cut him off with a choked whisper as he cupped Haru’s face with both hands. “I know Haru. But…” He trailed off, looking at Haru straight in the eye. Unlike every other time they had to go through this, there were no sign of tears on Rin’s eyes. Those red orbs were filled only with the resolve and determination of someone aiming for the top of the world.

_“Last call for the passengers travelling to Australia, flight number AN139, please proceed to Gate number 93.”_

Rin never finished what he was about to say. For as much as he liked to talk, the words refused to come out and he was running out of time. Brushing Haru’s cheeks with his thumbs, Rin leaned in and pressed their lips together in a kiss that, despite being brief, was enough to convey everything Rin felt -the longing, the admiration, his undying love.

When he pulled back from the kiss, he took a few seconds to whisper something into Haru’s ear, then turned around, not looking back once.

 

Once Rin disappeared past the security check zone, Haru turned around, his eyes now having the same glint Rin’s had as he kissed Haru for the last time in a while.

As he strolled through the airport main gate, his mind replayed the words the redhead had whispered to him before he placed his suitcase on the conveyor belt.

_‘This is the last time. Next time I leave Japan, you'll be coming with me.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to catch up :_D


	5. Skype kiss

Unless there was an important swimming meeting scheduled on the following days that required either of them to travel to another city, or something urgent happened, Sunday afternoons were spent skyping.

That was their unspoken accord. 

It was not the same as actually being in the same place, the grainy texture of the image the camera provided making sure to remind them of it, but it beated a normal call. At least that way they could see each other.

 

Haru had just come out from his tiny kitchen when he heard the incoming call, the weird sound Skype made that was so familiar to him, now coming from the living room.

Feeling excited about finally getting to see Rin, (no, that ridiculous picture Rin texted him a few days ago to show him his 'super awesome new shark shirt' didn't count as seeing Rin in Haru's books) Haru flopped down on the small cushion and answered the call before putting on his headset.

“Were you in the shower?” Rin asked with a knowing smile when Haru finished adjusting his microphone, eyeing the towel around the raven’s shoulders.

"I was in the kitchen," Haru said, raising his hand so Rin could see the pudding cup he was about to eat. To be honest, Haru had forgotten he still had the towel around his shoulders, his hair mostly dry by now.

Rin hummed with a small nod, making himself comfortable in his chair.

“So, how was your week?” He asked.

They kept each other updated via text, but they liked hearing things directly from the other so this was how they always started their skype calls. With just written text, they could only guess how the other felt about them. Like this, there was no room for doubts or assumptions left.

“Same as always,” Haru shrugged as he pulled his pudding lid open. “Classes, training, Friday dinner with Makoto…” Haru enumerated after eating a spoonful of the sweet dessert.

“Usual ramen joint?”

Haru nodded.

“We have to go back there when I come home. The beef ramen was the best I have eaten.”

“What about your week, Rin?” Haru asked, making a small note to himself to treat Rin to some ramen next time he visited.

“Pretty much the same. Classes, training..." Rin paused for a second, then his grin widened. “But hear this. Remember that beach I told you about in our last call? The one my friend showed me? I went there this weekend with some teammates and...”

 

By the time they were done with the routinary update, and mostly due to Rin’s fault, almost an hour and half had passed.

"Oh, yeah. Remember that super cool shark t-shirt I showed you the other day?" Rin made a small pause, turning to his left to pick up something. "Well," he continued with a wide smile, not waiting for Haru's reply. "I found this one yesterday in the mall and couldn't resist getting it for you."

Haru's eyes widened when a dolphin printed t-shirt took over Rin's face. 

"You like it?" He asked after moving the shirt to the side a bit so it was not covering his face.

"Could've been worse, coming from you," Haru deadpanned, eating another spoonful of his second pudding. Actually, he loved it and the fact Rin had bought it for him just because it had reminded him of Haru, made a warm feeling spread all over the raven’s chest. However, he wasn't passing up the chance of teasing Rin a bit.

"Hey!" Rin flushed a bit, setting the t-shirt aside. "I don't want to hear this from someone who owns that lousy Loosey-kun shirt."

“There’s nothing lousy about my Loosey-kun t-shirts,” Haru pouted. He didn’t have the greatest fashion sense out there -not that Rin did either,- he admitted it. But his Loosey-kun clothes were just awesome. “You are the one with the ridiculous fashion sense.”

“Excuse you, Haru. My fashion sense is perfect,” he argued, looking as if he was totally offended about Haru questioning his taste in clothing.

Both their teasing smiles betrayed them, though.

 

Another couple of hours were spent in a similar fashion, bantering with each other like there was actually a prize for it or something.

But good things always came to an end, as Rin’s phone reminded them when the alarm went off. 

They had lost track of the time enough already for Rin to set an alarm before starting their skype sessions. Looking at the clock and seeing it was 4AM already when you had class early next morning wasn’t nice. Rin complained about it long enough when it happened. At least the time difference wasn’t so big they barely got time to talk.

“Already this late, huh?” Rin mumbled, a small frown marring his features as he turned it off. 

Haru nodded, mirroring Rin’s frown. It was still early, barely 12AM, 1AM for Rin. They could talk for a bit longer, but the redhead’s classes started at 7AM and Rin needed to get a good night's rest to be in top condition for his training.

“So…” Rin started, rubbing the back of his neck.Things always got a bit awkward at this point, since none of them really wanted to hang up. “I.. I guess I should be going.”

“I should too,” Haru said, neither of them making a move to grab the mouse and end the call.

“Hey, Haru,” Rin blurted out, looking aside with a fresh blush coloring his cheeks.

“Hmm?” Haru encouraged Rin to keep going with a slight tilt of his head. 

Whatever it was, he was sure it would be something embarrassing, like most of the things Rin did and said when he wasn’t able to hold his gaze, right?

“I… I wanted to try something. I wanted to…” Rin trailed off, getting a bit frustrated because he wasn’t able to say what was on his mind, if the way he ran his fingers through his red tresses as he sighed was anything to go by.

“Spit it out, Rin,” Haru said, leaving the ‘it can’t be worse than some of the stuff you’ve already said up till now’ out, but clearly implying it with his look. It was amusing how giving Rin that look never failed to fluster him.

Rin shot Haru a dirty look but, instead of vocally denying any implied accusations like he would be doing any other night, he kissed the tip of his index and middle fingers and pressed them to the camera.

‘Well,’ Haru thought, his mind processing what had just happened. ‘It seemed it _could_ be more embarrassing.’

And, since Rin’s cheeks were now competing with his hair to see which one was redder, Rin was very much aware of it.

“It’s a kiss,” he said, sounding as awkward as he looked. "Don’t you fucking dare laugh, Haru,” Rin glared, his blush totally ruining the ‘menacing’ effect.

“I’m not…” Haru didn’t finish, not sure of what to do. 

He wasn’t gonna laugh, of course. Rin was embarrassing, but it was something he had already known the second he had met the guy, and something he had accepted when he agreed to date him. Rin was a romantic loser, but he was _his_ romantic loser.

Now the thing was, what should he do? Was he supposed to return the gesture? Was Rin expecting him to kiss back?

Judging by Rin’s hopeful look, the answer was yes.

‘The things I do for you,’ Haru sighed to himself and brought his index finger to his lips, then pressed it against the camera for less than a second. It was the most he could do. Rin was the embarrassing one, not him.

“Haru…” Rin breathed in awe, as if he couldn’t believe Haru had just done that. But, to give him some credit, Haru couldn’t completely believe it either. If he kept giving up that easily when Rin looked at him like that, he would end up being an embarrassing loser too.

“Happy?” Haru pouted as he looked away in a poor attempt to cover his bashfulness. And just like that, Rin’s face lit up, his lips curving softly in a loving smile. 

“Yeah…” He whispered. “Thanks, Haru. Good night.”

“Good night, Rin,” Haru replied before ending the call, Rin’s warm expression embedded in his mind.

Seems like he would have to remind Rin next time what a real kiss was like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know when something it's supposed to be short, but ends up being not?
> 
> Yay for word vomit.


	6. Welcome home kiss Pt.2

Today was the day.

He glanced up at his calendar on his way to the kitchen, smiling warmly at it. Not like he had circled today’s date with a red marker, like the loser he had as boyfriend probably had. Not at all.

Today, Rin was coming back home to stay.

 

His day passed both in a blur and agonizingly slow, the minutes ticking, the hour needle crawling forward, getting closer and closer to its goal. Or, well, the number Haru wanted it to reach.

One moment he was eating breakfast (mackerel, of course), the next he was sitting on a train on his way to practice, and the next he was diving into a pool, shooting down the lane. But whenever he glanced at the clock, as if sensing his growing impatience, the hands seemed to slow down almost to a complete stop.

'C'mon, move faster,' Haru commanded, to no avail of course.

As soon as his coach deemed the training session complete a couple of hours later, Haru hoisted himself out of the pool and almost ran all the way to the locker room, earning himself a few weird stares. After all, he was known on the team for being the last one to leave the pool, always trying to scratch a few more seconds floating in the water. Something weird, if you asked them.

But Haru didn’t care about that now. The only thing on his mind was to rinse the chlorine with a quick shower, get dressed and run to the station to catch the train that would take him to Narita Airport. 

\------

Planes, to put it simply, sucked ass. Seats were uncomfortable, the food was overpriced and not tasty at all, the temperature was always too high or too low... And, to top it all, the usual nuisances that couldn’t be avoided. There was this kid kicking the back of his seat while his mother did nothing to make him stop, too busy reading her book.

“God fucking dammit,” Rin cursed through gritted teeth as he shoved his earphones in. Maybe he could ignore the child if he concentrated really hard on the music playing.

Needless to say, Rin’s brilliant plan didn’t work at all, and by the time he was midway through his flight, his patience was running thin and he was getting a headache. Not exactly the mood he wanted to be in when he reunited with his boyfriend.

“Excuse me, Ma’am, your child is disturbing the rest of the passengers,” one of the air hostesses said in a hushed tone when the kid went from kicking the back of Rin’s seat to yelling at his Nintendo DS.

The woman seemed offended by that wake up call, acting as if her kid wasn’t doing anything wrong, but luckily she didn’t argue about it and begrudgingly told her son to sit still and without making noise.

‘Fucking finally,’ Rin held back a sigh, massaging his temples. If he was lucky, he’d manage to catch a couple hours of sleep and his headache would be gone by the time the plane landed in Japan.

With that in mind, Rin changed from his rock playlist to a more relaxing one, leaned his head on the headrest and closed his eyes.

‘I’m coming home, Haru.’

That was Rin’s last thought before he fell into a dreamless sleep.

\-------

As much as he had wanted the clock to go faster before, now Haru wished it slowed down each time he looked at the watch strapped to his wrist. The train had come in late, and he was three stops away from the airport when he was supposed to be there already. 

As if it had been waiting for a cue, his phone went off that very same moment. It was a new text. From Rin.

_> >Haru, I’m in the arrival lobby. Where are you? _

‘Great,’ Haru thought, hitting the reply button.

_> >Almost there. Train…_

Haru never got to finish his reply before the battery died on him at one of the times he actually needed his phone. He frowned at the black screen for a few seconds, then put it away in his bag with a resigned sigh. 

One could never trust technology, Haru decided, as if it was not his fault he had forgotten to charge his phone last night.

He was almost thirty minutes late by the time the train pulled up.

Haru dashed out as soon as the doors opened, dodging people as he ran up the mechanic stairs, earning himself a couple of shouts (that he ignored) in the process. Stairs were slow and he didn’t have a second to spare. 

He started running faster after crossing the airport’s main gate, not needing to stop to look for directions to reach his destination. He had picked up Rin enough times through the years to know, by heart, the way to the international arrival terminal.

Making his way through the airport was similar to getting out of the station: Haru sprinting through the space and people scolding him for doing so. Any other day he would’ve probably cared, and even stopped to apologize. But not today. He was in a hurry for all the good reasons.

He kept on running until he turned the last corner to the zone he was headed. Then, Haru stopped dead in his tracks.

There he was, staring outside the big window, cap covering his maroon strands, two big suitcases and a duffel bag beside him, instead of the small suitcase he brought with him when he came to visit for the holidays.

“Rin!” Haru called, his steps quickening until he was running through the airport.

“Haru!” Rin smiled wide at him, opening his arms just in time to catch Haru when he jumped straight into Rin’s open arms with enough force to make him take a couple of steps backwards.

“You’re late,” Rin mumbled while nosing Haru’s hair. Chlorine always smelt different on Haru.

“I’m sorry. Train was late and my phone died on me when I was replying to you,” Haru explained as he clung to the back of Rin’s jacket.

“Will you ever remember to charge your phone?” Rin mock scolded him with a small shake of his head. Haru just huffed, drawing on a chuckle from his boyfriend. 

He allowed the redhead to squeeze him for almost a minute before pulling back and cupping his face with both hands.

“Rin…” Haru breathed, his breath still a bit ragged from all that running. “Welcome home.”

That was the only warning Rin got before Haru tugged him down and smashed their lips together in an eager, heated kiss that dragged on for quite a while.

What a sight they must have been, two grown up men clinging to each other as they kissed as if they were a high school couple, in the middle of the arrival lobby.

“Still up for that ramen?” Haru asked when he pulled back with a blinding smile. Rin was back home. How could he not smile?

Rin grinned, then started dragging Haru outside the airport.


	7. Rainy kiss

The day had started as one would expect; sunny and warm, the air a tad moist. Perfect for that picnic at the beach they had been planning since they had set foot in Iwatobi's train station after months of being swamped with training in Tokyo.

They had woken up, taken a long shower that had not been spent cleaning their bodies the whole time, and had set to work on readying the food and things they had gotten the previous day.

While Haru made some sandwiches, (sneaking a couple of mackerel ones, despite Rin saying they were not going to eat fish on a picnic) Rin took care of getting the cooler ready, filling it with ice and a bit of water before putting the drinks inside.

But when they had finished with their preparations and were about to leave, a sudden downpour fell on them, raining on their plans.

"We can't go to the beach with this rain," Rin sighed, dragging the cooler and Haru back into the kitchen. He knew better than leaving the water maniac he had as boyfriend by himself at the door when the weather was like that.

Haru shot a longing look at the rainwater as they passed by the window, but he couldn’t help agreeing with Rin. All the food would be ruined as soon as they pulled it out of the containers. Also, it was highly possible they would end up getting sick, too.

“We can wait for a bit and see if the rain lets up,” Rin suggested, lowering the cooler by the kitchen table before sitting down on the closest chair, a pout firmly set on his lips as he, too, stared at the stream of water falling outside.

Haru didn’t say anything. He just sat down beside Rin and laced their fingers together in silent agreement.

Eventually they moved to the living room, the couch much more comfortable than wooden chairs, and settled on watching a generic cartoon show as they laid down; Haru on top of Rin, both blanketed by the feeling of lethargy that came with the rain.

Both of them held onto the hope that the downpour would stop soon so they’d be able to go have that picnic at the beach. But by noon the rain was still falling pretty hard, forcing them to give up on their plans.

“Seems like we aren’t going to have our picnic today,” Rin mumbled as he raked his fingers through Haru’s hair absentmindedly. 

Haru didn’t reply, his eyes were closed and his breath even making Rin think he had fallen asleep.

“Haru?” Rin called quietly.

“I’m awake,” Haru mumbled, waiting a few seconds before rolling off of Rin with a resigned sigh. “I’m going to put the food in the fridge, be right back.”

Left alone in the living room, Rin’s gaze wandered around, settling onto the sliding panel leading to Haru’s back porch. It had been left ajar earlier that morning so some of the rain had managed to make its way inside, darkening the floor mats and filling the air with that characteristic earthy scent rainwater carried with it.

He sat up slowly, blinking a couple of times before practically jumping off the couch and crossing the room with three long strides, throwing the door open as soon as it was within his reach.

The sound of the downpour increased tenfold, but Rin didn't pay any attention to that. The wooden floor was a bit wet, but the porch offered enough shelter, so it should be fine if they put a towel or something so they could sit on the floor.

“Haru, wait!” Rin called, running into the kitchen. Good, Haru wasn’t done storing the food away. “Let’s have that picnic.”

Haru turned around with a plastic container in hand, his brow almost imperceptibly arched. “It’s raining. We can’t go to the beach,” the raven deadpanned, his face betraying the fact he couldn’t believe he was the one telling Rin they couldn’t go outside because it was _raining_.

“I know that, idiot,” Rin rolled his eyes, totally ignoring Haru’s huff as he continued with what he was saying. “I meant here, on the porch.”

“What?” Haru looked as if Rin had thrown him out of the loop, which maybe was a bit true.

“Floor is a bit wet, but we should be fine if we sit on a towel,” Rin insisted, giving Haru that eager, childish look the raven wasn’t able to resist.

“Okay. Go get a towel,” Haru mumbled a few moments later, scooping up all the food he could into his arms before leaving the kitchen, a soft smile adorning his lips at Rin’s enthusiasm.

Haru was setting the food down on the living room table when Rin strolled in, bringing the biggest towel they owned and the cooler.

After a bit of coordinated work, they found themselves sitting beside each other on the porch, backs pressed against the wall and food containers scattered around them, all within reach.

“Pass me a sandwich, Haru,” Rin asked as he rummaged through the cooler, pulling out a water bottle and a soda can just as Haru was offering him one, the rest placed on his lap. “Thanks.”

He was about to take a bite when he smelt something way too familiar and it made him stop to sniff the food. Then he turned to Haru, his expression torn between a pout and exasperation.

"Haru! Didn’t I tell you we weren't having fish today?" Rin whined and rolled his eyes as Haru took a bite of his mackerel sandwich with a content hum. He should’ve known better when Haru agreed to his demands with that little resistance.

"No one is forcing you to eat it," Haru replied without missing a beat before taking another small bite, nibbling it with all the calmness in the word.

“But-”

“Here, take this one,” Haru cut him off, handing him another sandwich. This one was made of ham, lettuce and some tomato.

“You’re impossible,” Rin sighed, taking a bite of his mackerel-free food. Haru just shrugged and continued eating.

 

Almost an hour later, all the food was gone and both of them were still sitting on the porch staring at the rain falling; Haru snuggled into Rin, who had an arm around the raven’s shoulder. Both of them having that sedated air around them, the even drum of the water hitting the ground masking any other sound.

“Rain is so beautiful…” Haru mumbled, looking up at the grey clouds. “It has this hypnotizing allure that makes me want to stare at it for ages.”

“It is,” Rin agreed with a small hum and a gentle nod. “But it always makes me drowsy.”

With his hand still balling the front of Rin’s hoodie, Haru pulled back and stared at the redhead, as if he was looking for something that may be hiding in Rin’s sleepy eyes. When he didn’t find it, Haru leaned in and pressed their foreheads together for a short while. Then, as suddenly as he had moved in, Haru pulled back, tugging at Rin’s hand until he was standing up.

“Haru, what-?” The question died on his lips when he found himself under the rainfall, his clothes and his hair getting drenched in a matter of seconds. “It’s cold.”

Haru kept quiet as he tilted his head up, welcoming the stream of water pouring over his face and giving no heed to Rin’s complaints. The only thing that signaled he was aware of the redhead’s presence was the way he was pulling him closer, wrapping his arms loosely around his waist.

“Rin, kiss me,” Haru whispered, opening his eyes after a short while, when their bodies had gotten used to the water’s temperature.

Rin looked down at the raven and almost forgot how to breathe until his lungs reminded him that the human body needed this thing called air. Haruka was beautiful, there was no denying that. But his beauty seemed almost ethereal under the cold water sliding down his features, plastering the ebony locks over his forehead and cheeks and bringing out those clear blue eyes that looked at him expectantly.

“Rin,” Haru urged, tugging gently at the hem of Rin’s light jacket as he moved his face closer to the other’s.

Rin met him halfway, sliding his eyes shut as soon as his lips brushed Haru’s. The kiss tasted like earth, rain and Haru. Not a bad combination. They fell into a familiar slow rhythm soon, none of them in a hurry to take things into a more intense and messy territory, just content with the course of how things were now.

They lost track of the time soon enough, more occupied with kissing and holding each other. And they wouldn’t have moved if the cold hadn’t seeped through their clothes and into their bones, making them shiver, goosebumps breaking all over their skin

“C’mon, let’s get back inside,” Rin whispered as he pulled back from the embrace, gently tugging Haru towards the porch.

Haru tugged him down for one last short kiss before allowing Rin to pull him back inside the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried to make this one a bit extra long to make up for the lack of update yesterday.


	8. Christmas kiss

"Rin, let's go out later," Haru said out of the blue as they were washing their lunch dishes, earning a surprised 'huh?' from Rin. Not that Haru couldn't blame him, given the redhead was always the one making the plans and suggesting going out on dates. Haru was content with just enjoying Rin's company, their bodies pressed together, even if they were doing nothing else but snuggling each other on the couch or laying in bed.

"Did you hit your head this morning in the shower or something?" Rin teased as he dried the dish Haru just passed him, then putting it back in its place when he was done. He couldn't deny how happy it had made him when Haru suggested they went out today of all of days.

"I thought you'd like to go on a date for Christmas," Haru shrugged with one shoulder, his eyes focused on the work at hand. "We can stay here if you don't want to," Haru mumbled, scrubbing the plate a bit harder than necessary.

"Don't be an idiot," Rin chastised with a soft smile and a roll of his eyes as he took the plate from Haru's hand, rinsing it himself before drying it. "Of course I want to. I actually was going to ask later. I guess I just didn’t expect you beating me to it."

"That's because you're a slowpoke," Haru smirked, turning off the water then returning Rin’s nudge. He wouldn't admit he had been planning this day for the past week, looking up places they could visit. He even bought the tickets for dinner, along with a room reservation. Nothing fancy, of course (they could only afford so much with their salary) but enough to make it special. 

Rin huffed in amusement, turning around when everything was stored away in its respective place, resting his hip on the counter edge and crossing his arms over his chest.

“So, what does the great and fast Nanase Haruka have planned for today, huh?” Rin teased with a mocking smile set on his lips. 

“Who knows,” Haru shrugged, throwing the fridge door open and pulling out a cold water bottle, taking a long gulp then placing it back inside before turning to Rin again, giving the redhead his version of a teasing smile. “You’ll have to wait.”

“C’mon, Haru! Don’t be like that,” Rin insisted. Patience had never been his forte after all. And Haru knew it, that was why he was doing this.

 

Rin tried to get Haru to tell him, sometimes in a subtle way, sometimes just asking directly. But he was always met with the same answer: Haru’s knowing smile and a small shake of his head.

“I’ll just tell you that you need to dress up nice, Rin,” Haru conceded right before he got inside the bathroom to take a shower, claiming it was his turn to shower first and that Rin always took forever to wash and dry his hair. 

“Hey! That’s not true!” Rin’s complaints came up against the closed bathroom door. “You are the one that takes forever to shower.” Hearing the water hit the tile, Rin knew he wasn’t going to get an answer from Haru, so he just sighed and went to his closet to search for something appropriate to wear, even if he didn’t have the slightest idea of what could be considered appropriate since he didn’t know where they were going.

 

After a couple hours of bantering (‘See? You took more time in the bathroom than me, Haru’ ‘I didn’t take more than you did fixing your hair.’), teases and stolen kisses, they were showered and dressed up with shirts and semi formal suit pants, ready to go.

“Are you telling me where we’re going already?” Rin asked at the entrance as he put on his coat and wrapped a scarf around his neck, covering half of his face with it.

Haru shook his head, already bundled in his winter gear. “Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” He ignored Rin’s pout and opened the door, stepping into the cold winter afternoon.

“So cold,” Rin grumbled, burrowing his face deeper into his scarf as he shoved his hands inside his pockets. But even if he complained about the weather, Rin wouldn’t change going on a date with Haru for anything in the world. Even less when Haru’s fingers slid in his pocket and laced with his own, warming it up bit by bit.

 

“Holy shit this is amazing, Haru,” Rin breathed in awe when they reached their first destination of the evening. 

It was the very same mall they went to when they needed new swimming gear (the sports shop there was top class) and the occasional last minute grocery shopping since it was nearby their training center. Only now it was filled with Christmas decorations in the shape of stars and snowflakes and colored lights hanging from the roof and wrapped around every column, and the usual empty space in the middle of the lobby was occupied by the biggest Christmas tree Rin had seen in years.

Haru said nothing, just standing beside Rin as he took in everything, from the fake presents at the foot of the tree to the golden star crowning it. He hadn’t even seen trees this big in Australia; nor had he ever seen trees as majestic as this one with such exquisite decoration.

“Here, your Christmas present,” Haru said with a soft smile, pulling a flat, thin envelope with a red ribbon wrapped around it from his chest pocket and handing it to Rin, breaking him out of his reverie a few minutes later. After all, this had been just a short stop before the main course of the date Haru had planned.

“Huh?” Rin took it, confusion marring his face. He had expected them to exchange presents when they got back home after dinner, so he hadn’t taken his present with him. “I left yours at home.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Haru shook his head, then his piercing blue eyes, gleaming with excitement, settled on Rin’s as if urging him to open it.

“H-haru…” Rin’s breath got caught in his throat when he pulled out two tickets for the World Christmas Dessert Buffet at the Hilton Tokyo Bay, along with a room card. While it was not the most expensive place Haru could’ve picked, it was still above anywhere else they had gone before. How long had Haru been saving up to be able to afford it?

“Don’t cry, Rin,” Haru whispered when a quiet sob escaped Rin’s lips, and brought a hand up to dry Rin’s unshed tears.

“B-but this is too much…” Rin argued feebly, still staring at the tickets in his hand.

“We should get going if we want to get there in time,” Haru tugged gently at the hem of the redhead’s coat’s sleeve, the action making Rin look up from the rectangular pieces of paper. Nothing could ever be too much for Rin, but he knew his boyfriend would argue with him on that one if he said it, so he kept that thought to himself. The guy was so kind and worked so hard he deserved this and so much more.

“Wait, Haru,” Rin held onto the raven’s hand, pulling softly at it so he could bring Haru closer and wrap his arms around him. “Thank you,” Rin whispered, squeezing Haru’s waist.

“Merry Christmas, Rin,” Haru said, pulling back from the warm embrace and cupping Rin’s face, his eyes shimmering with love for the man in front of him.

They didn’t know which one of them moved first or who started the kiss, only that their dry and slightly chapped but warm lips met, moving and brushing against the other’s as the Christmas carols played around them.


	9. New years kiss

They had been in Iwatobi since the day after Christmas, opting for spending the last week of the year back in their hometown with all their friends and also get the much needed city break.

The week was spent between catching up with friends, getting updated on everyone’s lives, visiting places or just dorking around as much as they could. Since they all went separate ways to pursue their dreams, they all had learnt to treasure small moments like this. Small moments that none of them would change for anything in the world. Most of the time, though, was spent at the Nanase household, huddling under the soft blankets or soaking in hot water.

 

Before they realized, New Year’s had arrived and they had to start packing again to return to Tokyo and their routine the next day. By noon everything they had brought with them, except toiletries and a couple of other things, like the clothes hanging up to dry in the middle of Haru's living room or old swimming gear that was still in good condition but none of them used anymore, was back in their suitcases.

“Haru, pass me the empty duffel bag on your desk,” Rin asked, opening Haru’s closet to take out the formal wear that they would be wearing for the mandatory temple visiting after having dinner with Rin's family, the attires being one of those few things still unpacked both because they were going to use them later and because they would be left hanging on the rack in the raven's closet. In Tokyo they always wore suits when the occasion required them to dress up, so there was really no point in taking the traditional clothes with them back to their small apartment.

“Need some help?” Haru asked as he went to retrieve the bag, placing it at the foot of the bed before walking up to the redhead and hugging his waist from behind. He had gotten so used to these small affectionate gestures, that now touching or hugging Rin was something he did without thinking.

"Mmhm," Rin nodded, twisting a bit in Haru's embrace to peck his cheek, gently squeezing his forearm. "Help me fold the kimonos to get them to my mom's." 

Haru nodded and, after a quick kiss to Rin's nape, stepped back. "Start handing them to me," the raven said, moving the bag to one side of the bed so he would have enough room to fold the clothes without getting any wrinkles on them.

Rin did as told, passing Haru the different parts of the attire, taking each one of them off from the rack with the utmost care and walking up to Haru to hand him the piece of fabric, then walking back to the closet to repeat the process until the two whole outfits were stored safely inside the duffel bag.

"We still have a couple of hours until we have to go," Rin said as he moved the now heavy bag to Haru's desk. He already had an idea of how he wanted to spend that time. And Haru seemed to be on the same page as him, since he was pushing him down on the bed and snuggling up to him as soon as he dropped the bag.

 

"Let's stop by Makoto's," Haru suggested out of the blue when they passed by the brunet's home on their way downstairs. He didn't need to say anything else, nor explain why the sudden request for Rin to understand. He missed Makoto a lot and wanted to see his friend one last time before their departure. 

Rin didn't reply. Instead, he turned to the Tachibana residence, his hand firmly clasping Haru's as he lead the way. Rin would miss Makoto too. Texting was just not the same, not matter how often they did it. He stepped aside when they reached the door and, since he knew what was coming, let go of Haru's hand the second the raven rang the bell. 

Hurried steps were heard and in a flash the door was thrown wide open, two identical smiles that were as warm as the air that came out from the house, greeting them.

"Haru-nii! Rin-nii!" The twins exclaimed with evident glee at the pleasant surprise before barreling into them the same way they did when they were smaller, forcing both Rin and Haru to take a step backwards to avoid falling. Well, at least they didn't argue anymore about who got to hug who first like they had done in the early stages of Rin and Haru's relationship.

"Easy there," Rin laughed, hugging Ran back just as tight as the girl was squeezing him.

"You're not kids anymore," Haru chastised Ren as he returned the hug, even though his small smile betrayed his words. The twins, of course, knew it too. So they just smiled when they let go and tackled the one they hadn't glomped yet.

"Ran, Ren!" Makoto called out to his siblings, placing a hand on both their shoulders. "I'm sorry this always happens," the brunet sighed when Ran and Ren stepped back, pouting at their big brother before they went back into the house.

"It's okay," Rin chuckled while readjusting the bag on his shoulder. "Haru likes it," he confided as if said boy wasn't there right beside them listening to the 'secret.'

"Like you don't enjoy it too," Haru huffed, realizing a second too late he had just totally given himself away.

"I wasn't expecting you two," Makoto commented with a knowing smile as he leaned against the door frame, effectively putting an end to the incoming lover's bickering. God knew how difficult it was to stop the love birds once they got started with one of their squabbles.

Rin snickered. “Haru suggested to stop by on our way to my mother’s place, so here we are,” Rin explained with a toothy grin. Makoto’s smile grew warmer, if that was even possible. He didn’t really need anything else to tell Rin and Haru how happy that made him.

“Want to come in?” Makoto offered as he took a step to the side to make enough room at the entryway for someone to pass.

“I’m sorry,” Haru shook his head, grabbing his forearm with one hand and looking aside for a brief second. “We have to take the train.”

Makoto nodded in understanding before hugging both of them, first Rin, then Haru. “Happy New Years,” Makoto whispered. It was still early, but none of them cared about it. It was better to hear the greeting directly from their friend’s lips than reading it on a phone screen.

“Happy New Years,” they said back at the same time, taking turns to hug the brunet again, Haru lingering a bit longer than Rin did. After all the years it was still weird for him not having Makoto living practically next door.

“Take care,” Makoto waved at them from the modestly sized entrance before they resumed their descent of the stone steps.

 

A short train ride and a walk later, they reached he Matsuoka residence. And, as it had happened not even an hour earlier when they had stopped at Makoto’s place, Rin and Haru found themselves crushed in a group hug, this time by Rin’s mother and Gou.

“Mom! I can’t breath!” Rin squirmed a bit, trapped between all three of them. Of course, his mother gave no heed to her son’s complaints and continued squeezing them as hard as she could. ‘To make up for all the time you’ve been away,’ she would say later.

Dinner, as it always happened when it was hosted by the Matsuoka women, passed in a blur of laughs, teases that mostly targeted Rin, and good food. And soon it was time to start getting ready to go to the traditional temple visiting Rin and Haru made sure to attend every single year.

After the table was cleared up and the dishes were back in their place, Rin took Haru’s hand and guided him to his room. The raven knew (had known for years now) the way as if it were his own house, but any excuse was good to lace his fingers together with his boyfriend’s.

Once inside Rin’s room, and before they could distract themselves with each other, they retrieved their respective kimonos from Rin’s closet where they had put them earlier and left them on the bed.

But of course trying to keep their hands to themselves was left at that: trying. It didn’t take long before Haru was unzipping Rin’s hoodie as Rin popped open his pants and pushed the fabric down toned legs, both of them working at each other’s clothes until they were standing in their underwear.

“We should get dressed,” Rin whispered, his actions totally contradicting his words when he tugged Haru closer and pulled him into a loose embrace before pressing their lips together in a slow kiss.

“Yes, we should,” Haru breathed, already pulling Rin down for another kiss.

A few kisses later, they started to get dressed in their formal wear, first the tabi and undergarments, then the kimono; Haru’s being a rich shade of midnight blue and Rin’s the traditional black color.

“Need any help with that?” Rin asked, taking the white obi from Haru’s hand before he could even answer. He wrapped the long piece of white fabric a couple of times around Haru’s waist and tied it with all the gentleness he could muster, placing his hands on his boyfriend’s hips and taking a moment to admire both his work and Haru himself. He always looked so good no matter if he was all dressed up or just wearing shorts and a frayed shirt.

“Let me return the favor,” Haru mumbled taking the burgundy obi from the bed as Rin put on his black kimono, left side covering the right. As Rin had done, Haru wrapped the red cloth around Rin’s slim waist with precise though slightly rusty movements, pulling at its edges until it fitted his lover’s midriff perfectly and the knot held up to his standards.

 

Like they did every year, they walked hand in hand to the nearest temple from the Matsuoka home, their sides completely glued in an attempt to keep warm. Used to their heavy coats and scarfs, the haori didn’t do much to keep the cold at bay. They kept a leisure pace the whole way to the temple, the _clacking_ noise their zori sandals made with each step they took being the only thing breaking the silence. The temple grounds were already bustling with people lining up to make their prayers or just walking around, spending the couple of hours left of the year with their loved ones. 

“Let’s get in line,” Haru said as he tugged at Rin’s hand to direct him to the biggest crowd. 

“Think we’ll make it in time?” Rin asked, craning his neck to try and see the small altar ahead of the sea of people before them.

Haru didn’t know, so he just shrugged and waited, still clasping Rin’s hand.

 

They got to make their payers when it was almost midnight, only five minutes of the year left. Standing side by side, they threw a coin, rang the bell and clapped their hands once in total synchrony, almost as if they had actually practiced it.

“What did you wish for?” Rin asked with a teasing smile, throwing an arm around Haru’s shoulders and pulling him closer.

“Not telling,” was Haru’s previsible answer after leaning into Rin’s touch.

Instead of going to the main zone of the temple grounds where all the people were heading now to watch the fireworks that would start along the new year, they chose to stay in a small forest area where they could have a bit of the privacy they valued so much on special moments like this one.

They waited until the first light illuminated the sky before looking down at each other, leaning in and meeting halfway in a kiss that held the promise of a new year together, sticking to one another’s sides no matter what.

“Happy New Years, Haru,” Rin whispered, his eyes still closed, their foreheads pressed together.

“Happy New Years,” Haru echoed then sealed their lips together once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life got busy. Sorry for the delay.


	10. Happy Birthday Kiss Pt.1

It was no secret to anyone who knew Rin that he didn't like sweet stuff. Well, it was not that he hated sweets or something -he enjoyed eating the occasional cupcake or crepe when Haru and him went to that small cafe turning the corner of their flat- but he wasn't too fond of it either, so he mostly avoided eating it.

As Rin’s birthday neared, they had planned to go out later in the week with some of their teammates for dinner and celebrate it together. But Haru wanted to do something for Rin too, without other people being involved. That was the reason Haru has done a bit of research on the internet, looking for a cake recipe that wouldn’t be made completely of bitter chocolate but also not too sweet so Rin would like it. It had taken him awhile but, eventually, he had found the perfect one. Now he just had to wait for Rin's birthday to arrive to set his little plan in motion.

 

February 2nd arrived and, as Haru expected, Rin's alarm went off at the same exact time it did everyday. Not even on his birthday did the redhead take a day off. He slid off of their shared bed with careful moves, gently disentangling himself from Haru so he wouldn't disturb his sleep. Little did he know that the raven was already awake, and trying hard to hold back the small smile that threatened to betray him when Rin leaned in to kiss his forehead before leaving.

Haru tossed the covers aside and jumped out of the bed as soon he heard the front door closing and made a beeline for the kitchen, only making a small pause to brush his teeth to get rid of the sourness of morning breath.

“Okay, let’s get started,” Haru mumbled to himself as he wiped his hands dry and put on his blue apron before pulling out a couple of bowls and some utensils, setting all of them in the counter amongst the ingredients he had bought the previous afternoon when he went to the store with the excuse of needing some mackerel while Rin was taking a bath. He would’ve liked to join his boyfriend in the tub, of course, but small sacrifices were needed if he wanted to surprise Rin.

After checking he had everything he would need, he started by putting the dark chocolate chunks in one of the medium sized bowls and pouring the honey over it, then adding a cup of olive oil and a cup of orange juice. For good measure, Haru added a bit of orange zest too and stirred the mix a bit before bringing it over to the microwave.

When it was hot enough to make the chocolate melt, Haru pulled it out and added the egg yolks he had separated while the batter heated up, some vanilla extract and, finally, the flour, continuously stirring the mix at a steady pace to avoid the formation of clumps and bubbles forming. Then, when everything was thoroughly mixed, he added some cocoa powder and stirred it all anew to incorporate the new ingredient to the cake batter, repeating the process with some whisked egg whites.

With that, all the preparations were done. And it took just a bit over half an hour, so he still had plenty of time to bake it and let it cool down before Rin came back from the gym. He oiled the small rectangular pan (the person in the video had used a circular one, but Haru didn’t think it would matter much) and poured the mix slowly to avoid bubbles and splashes, allowing it to set evenly before putting it inside the preheated oven and setting the timer.

While the caked baked, Haru got started with the clean up, taking all the bowls and utensils he had used to the sink, letting them soak for a bit while he wiped down the counter. He was placing the last bowl back in its place when the timer went off. Talk about good timing. Careful to not burn himself, Haruka pulled out the pan of the oven and set it on the counter. Then he poked the center of the cake, nodding to himself when it came out clean. Everything was going according to the plan. He even had time to take a nice bath while the tart cooled down.

 

About 45 minutes later, dressed in fresh clothes and his hair still damp, Haru left their shared room. Rin would be home soon, so it was time to start setting the table so he could surprise his boyfriend properly as soon as he stepped through the door. He had just taken the cake to the table when he heard the front door open.

“Haru, I’m home!” Rin called as he toed off his shoes, dropping his sports bag beside Haru’s sneakers.

“In the kitchen,” Haru raised his voice a little so Rin could hear him, untying his apron and hanging it back in its place behind the door.

“Why does it smell like chocola…” Rin trailed off when he entered the kitchen, his eyes zeroing in on the cake at the center of the table. “You did this for me?” Rin whispered in awe, getting closer to the source of the delicious scent that now filled the house.

“It’s your birthday,” Haru shrugged as he took a spoonful of the chocolate confection, ignoring for the moment the plates, and offered it to Rin. “Taste test,” he gave the redhead a small smile.

A smile that Rin mirrored, though his was wider, as he sauntered over to Haru and wrapped his arm around the raven’s waist in a loose embrace before opening his mouth and accepting the food Haru fed him. “Mm..! Orange,” Rin said after swallowing the treat. He had expected the chocolate, but not the tang of orange.

“You like it?” Haru asked with an expectant look, still holding the spoon close to Rin’s lips.

“It’s perfect,” Rin mumbled as he pulled his boyfriend closer, then leaned in to catch Haru’s lips in a long, slow kiss that tasted like bittersweet chocolate and orange.

“I’m glad,” Haru breathed, pressing his forehead to Rin’s. “Happy Birthday,” he whispered before returning to Rin’s lips, starting a new kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life is getting busy, so I don't think catching up and finishing the challenge before the mook comes out is going to happen :_D


End file.
